Britain to spend $2.6b on weapons’ factories as Starmer calls for war readiness
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s warning came a day before he publishes a major review of Britain’s military capabilities.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON – Britain must be ready to fight and win a war against states with advanced military forces, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said as his government announced a £1.5 billion (S$2.6 billion) plan to build at least six new weapons and explosives factories.
His warning came a day before he publishes a major review of Britain’s military capabilities.
Britain and countries across Europe are rapidly trying to boost their defence industries after US President Donald Trump said the continent has to take more responsibility
“We are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, so we must be ready to fight and win,” Mr Starmer wrote in an article for The Sun On Sunday newspaper, citing as examples Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Defence Minister John Healey announced the munitions investment programme in a BBC interview on June 1, describing it as “a message to Moscow” and a way to stimulate Britain’s sluggish economy.
The Defence Ministry said it would procure up to 7,000 long-range weapons, built in Britain.
The extra investment means Britain will spend around £6 billion on munitions in the current Parliament, it added.
The Sunday Times reported the government wanted to purchase US-made fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons.
The Strategic Defence Review, commissioned by Mr Starmer’s Labour government shortly after it won power in July 2024, will set out the threats Britain faces and the military equipment and services needed to meet them.
He has already committed to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2027 and target a 3 per cent level over the longer term.
The government has already announced a £1 billion plan to invest in artificial intelligence that can be used to enhance battlefield decision-making. It has separately committed to spend an extra £1.5 billion to tackle the poor state of housing for the country’s armed forces. REUTERS
